Folding crib



Nov. 13, 1951 s. T. AARESTAD FOLDING CRIB 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 3, 1948 Stanley 71 Aaresrad INVENTOR.

only 78% Nov. 13, 1951 5'. T. AARESTAD FOLDING CRIB 4 Shet s-Sheet Filed Feb. 3, 1948 Fig. 6.

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0 a I a r a A T y m a I 5 IN VENT 0R.

Nov. 13, 1951 s, T AAiQES AD 2,574,610

FOLDING CRIB Filed Feb. 5, 19.48 v 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Stanley 7'. Aaresied INVENTOR.

' WW 3m Patented Nov. 13, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,574,610- FOLDING CRIB- S'tanley T; Aar'estad, Jamestown, N. Dak.

ApplicationiFebnuary 3, 1-948, Serial No., 6,100

My invention relates to improvements in folding cribs for children, the primary object inview being to provide a crib with skeleton sides and ends with one side adapted to be raised and lowered, and which is. constructed and arranged for folding compactly into a smaller bundle than other folding cribs of commerce, whereby the same is rendered easier to store in a small space in an out of the way location, and adapted for easier transporting from place to place, particui larly in traveling.

Another object is. to provide a crib of the character and for the purpose above set forth which is comparatively simple in construction, inexcvpensive to manufacture, and light in weight yet strong and durable.

Other and subordinate objects, within the purview of my invention, together with the precise nature of my improvements will be readily understood when the succeeding description and claims vare read with reference to the drawings accompanying and forming part of this specification.

In said drawings:

Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of my'improved crib in a preferred embodiment thereof viewed from the front side of the crib, the crib being unfolded;

Figure 2 is a similar view looking at the rear side of the crib;

Figure 3 is a view in endeleva-tion of the crib unfolded;

Figure 4 is a view in perspective of the spring structure partly folded;

Figure 5 is a fragmen-tary viewi-n vertical section taken on the line 5-5 of Figure'3 and-drawn to a largerscale;

Figure 6 is a fragmentary view in perspective illustrating the manner in which one of the top end channel bars is secured to the posts;

Figure 7 is a fragmentary view partly in side elevation and partly in section illustrating the manner in which one of the top, side channel hers is hinged to the post;

Figure 8 is a detailed vie-w in transverse section taken on the line 88 of Figure 3 anddrawn to a larger scale;

Figure 9 is a detailed view in vertical section :takenon the line 9-9 of Figure land drawnto a larger scale;

Figure 10 is a view in vertical section taken on the line 10-40 of Figure 2 and drawn to a larger scale;

Figure 11 is a fragmentary view in perspective of one of the sections of one of the top, side a channel .ba-rs Figure 12 is a view in elevation illustrating the 2 Claims. (Cl. 5-99) Figure 141s a view in side elevation. illustrating the manner in which the top, side channel bars are folded.

Referring now to the drawings by numerals, according to my invention, as illustrated, a crib is provided comprising pairs of corner posts If, 2 at opposite ends of the crib of hollow square tubing each with an extension leg 3, of similar tubing, slidable inwardly and outwardly of the lower end of the leg into different set positions to extend or contract the overall length of the legs and vary the height of the crib; Set bolts 4 inthe posts I, 2 and extension legs 3 passing through slots 5 in said legs and equipped with wing nuts 6, as best shown in Figure 8 provide for setting said legs 3 in selected positions. Casters 6 are provided on the lower ends of'the extension legs 3.

The pairs of posts I, 2 are connected together to form the opposite ends of the crib by like means, shown for example in Figure 3 for the r pair of end posts I. This means comprises a, collapsible and extensible end, lattice frame I of lazytongs construction with upper-and lower edge, pivoted joints 3, 9 and upper and lower pairs of side edge joints Ni, it working on lateral ears l2 13 on upper and lower pairs of sleeves 14, F5 at opposite side edges of said frame and vertically slidable on a pair of vertical guide rods [-6 on the posts I coplanar with said frame '1. Upper, lateral ends I8 of the guidebars H3 are suitably attached to said posts 1 and the lower ends of said guide rods I6 are suitably attached in angle brackets it on said posts I. The lower pai-rof sleeves l5 rest on said brackets l9 and thereby support said frame '1 properly elevated position. A top end channel bar at with downturned ends 2| extends horizontally between the posts 1 and is detachably secured thereto'by bolts 22 passing through said ends 21 vand through the posts I with wing nuts 23 thereof, said; bar 2i straddling the upper edge joints 8 and preventing said frame I from collapsing, thereby holding the pair of posts I properly spaced apart when the crib is unfolded and set up. The ends 2|v of said'bar 2B are slotted, as

shown at 24 .in Figure 6 to straddle the bolts 22 close together to fold the end of the crib and greatly reduce the width thereof.

One side of the crib, constituting the rear side, is permanently closed by a rear side lattice frame 25, like the described frame I, the upper and lower pairs 25, 21 of side edge joints of said frame 25 working on ears 28 on upper and lower pairs of sleeves 29, 30 slidable on guide rods 3|, similar to the guide rods l6, and arranged on the posts 2 on the rear side of the crib with the lower pair of sleeves resting on angle brackets 32 on said posts to support said frame 25 in properly elevated position. The sleeves 29, 30 are rotatable on the guide rods 3| for a purpose presently seen. The guide rods 3| are arranged on the posts 2 coplanar with said frame 25. A top, side channel bar 33, like the described bar 29, straddles the upper joints 34 of the rear side frame 25 with its ends connected to the posts 2 on the rear side of the crib so as to prevent said frame 25 from collapsing and whereby said posts on the rear side of the crib are held in properly spaced relation. The top, side channel bar 33 comprises telescoped outer and inner channel sections 35,

35, the outer section 35 having inturned bottom edge flanges 31, as shown in Figure 10, for retaining the inner section 38 in said outer section, and

said outer section 35 being resilient for spreading of the sides thereof apart to free the inner section 36 so that said sections 35, 33 may be taken apart. Bolts 33 with wing nuts 39 thereon extend through the outer section 35 and through top cross slots 40 in the inner section 33 to secure said sections 35, 36 together against endwise play. The outer and inner sections 35, 36 are hinged, as at 4|, 42 to the posts 2 on the rear side of the crib to be swung upwardly when taken apart, 1

whereby to free the joints 34 so that said frame 25 may be collapsed to arrange the ends of the crib close together. The hinged ends are inclined as at 43, 44, so that said sections may be swung down in pendent position when said frame 25 is collapsed to thus fold said sections alongside the sleeves 26, 21, as shown for instance in Figure 14.

The other, front side of the crib is adapted to be closed by a front, side lattice frame 45 identical with the described frame 25 but mounted for lowering from elevated position to open the front of the crib. For this purpose, the upper and lower side edge joints 45, 41 of said frame 45 work on lateral lugs 43, 49 in upper and lower pairs of sleeves 50, 5| slidable on guide rods 52 on the posts I, 2 at the front side of the crib and which are of a sufficient length to permit said frame 45 to be lowered the required extent, at which point the lower pair of sleeves 5| will rest on rubber bumpers 52 on angle brackets 53 secured to the bottom ends of said posts 2 disposed on the front side of the crib.

Spring pressed latches 54, best shown in Figure 9, on the pair of upper sleeves extend through slots 55 in said sleeves 5|] at the front side of the crib and are adapted to snap into notches 56 in the guide rods 52 and thereby latch the front side frame 45 in elevated position to close the front of the crib. A top side channel bar 51, identical with the described bar 33, is provided for the front side frame 45 and which comprises telescoped outer and inner sections 58, 59 straddling the upper joints 69 of said frame 45 to prevent said frame from collapsing. The outer ends of said sections 58, 59 are pivoted, as at 6|, 62 on collars 63, 64 rotatable on the upper ends of the upper pair of sleeves 59, so that when said sections 58, 59 are separated, or taken apart, like the sections 35, 36, the same may be swung upwardly clear of said joints 60 and then rotated about the sleeves 50 to be folded downwardly alongside the said sleeves 50, 5| and guide rods 52. As will be seen, said bar 51 is adapted to be lowered and elevated with said frame 45 to prevent the frame from collapsing when the same is being elevated and lowered. The sleeves 50, 5| are rotatable on the guide rods 52 for a purpose presently apparent.

A folding spring structure, shown in Figure 4, is provided comprising a center section i5, and end sections '52. The center section 15 comprises a pair of side angle bars 13 with depending hinge ears at opposite ends thereof arranged in pairs l4, 15, the pair being longer than the pair 14 for a purpose presently apparent. The end section H is U-shaped with a pair of side angle bars 16 connected at outer ends thereof by a cross angle bar 1'! and having inner ends pivotecl as at 18, to the pair of ears 14 so that said section ll may be folded under the intermediate section 70 close thereto and parallel therewith. The end section 12 likewise comprises side angle bars 19 with a cross angle bar 39 connecting outer ends thereof and with inner ends pivoted, as at 8|, to the pair of ears 15 so that said section 12 may be folded under the folded end section ll parallel therewith. A spring web 82 of longitudinal and cross wires 83, 84 connected at intersections thereof is provided in the sections 70, ll 12 with ends of the longitudinal wires 83 connected by coil springs 85 to the cross angle bars 11, 89, and with ends of the cross wires 84 connected by coil springs 86 to the side angle bars 73, I6, 19. The inner ends of the side angle bars l6, 79 are adapted to abut the opposite ends of the side angle bars 13 so that the end sections 7| 12 may be unfolded into coplanar relation to the intermediate section "I0 and be maintained in such relation against upward swinging. Notches 81 in the outer ends of the side angle bars l6, l9 fitting over lateral studs 88 on the legs I, 2 provide for detachably attaching the described spring structure to said legs to support the usual mattress 89.

To fold the described crib, the spring structure is first detached and removed and then folded in the manner already described. The top end channel bars 29 are then preferably first detached, in the manner described, and the pairs of legs 2 shoved together in the pairs to collapse the end lattice frames 1, as shown in Figures 12, 13, and thereby fold the ends of the crib. The front and rear top, side channel bars, 33, 5'! are then taken apart and the sections 35, 35' of said bar 33 swung upwardly, also the sections 58, 59 of said bar 51. This frees the upper joints 34, 60 so that the front and rear side lattice frames 25, 45 may be collapsed. The folded ends of the crib may then be pushed toward each other to cause the front and rear side lattice frames 25, 45 to be collapsed so as to fold the sides of the crib. The folded ends of the crib may then be moved into close proximity and parallelism by swinging the same edgewise, crosswise of each other, in opposite directions, and so as to swing the front and rear side lattice frames 25, 45 about the guide rods 3|, 52 in parallelism and intermediate the folded ends of the crib parallel therewith as shown in Figure 13.

The sections 35, 36 of the front and rear, top, side channel bars 33, 51 may be folded in the manner described, and as shown in Figure 4, at any appropriate time in the folding operaion.

With the parts of the crib folded, as described, the same may be packed in a compact bundle for storage, or transporting, as will be manifest and in a suitable case, not shown.

The manner in which the described crib may be unfolded, and set up, will be clear from the description of the folding operations and, therefore, need not be described.

The foregoing will, it is believed, suflice to impart a clear understand of my invention, without further explanation.

Manifestly, the invention, as described, is susceptible of modification, without departing from the inventive concept,- and right is herein reserved to such modifications as fall within the scope of the appended claims.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

i. In a crib, a pair of end posts at one side thereof, a pair of vertical guides on said posts, upper and lower pairs of sleeves vertically slidable on said guides, a jointed lattice frame extending between said pairs of sleeves with joints attached thereto, said frame being collapsible by movement of said posts either one toward the other with upper edge joints tending to move upwardly as said frame collapses, and a channel bar straddling said upper edge joints and attached to the upper pair of sleeves to prevent such movement of said upper joints and prevent collapsing of said frame, said sleeves together with said frame and channel bar being vertically movable relative to the guides to permit lowering and raising of said frame, and said channel bar being operative to free said upper joints to permit said frame to be collapsed.

2. In a crib, a pair of corner posts, a lazy tongs lattice frame extending between said posts and collapsible by movement of said posts toward each other, said frame embodying top and side joints adapting the frame for collapsing, vertical guide rods on said posts, sleeves to which said side joints are pivoted for collapsing thereon; said sleeves being slidable vertically on said rods for raising and lowering of said frame, and a channel bar extending between said guide rods in straddling relation to said top joints to prevent collapsing of said frame, said bar being slidably I mounted on said rods for raising and lowering with said frame and pivoted on its mounting for swinging out of straddling relation to said top joints to permit said frame to be collapsed.

STANLEY T. AARESTAD.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 406,715 Fenner July 9, 1889 689,240 Sprague Dec. 17, 1901 754,150 Lehrer Mar. 8, 1904 830,590 Henkel Sept. 11, 1906 979,227 Tinkham -1 Dec. 20, 1910 1,827,739 Derbyshire Oct. 20, 1931 2,014,205 Linden Sept. 10, 1935 2,448,237 Sole Aug. 31, 1948 

